Rhode Island automobile owners rely on J&S Auto Repair to make sure their manual transmissions are always operating as they should be. One of the most crucial parts of this system is your vehicle’s clutch. If you’re driving a car that has a lot of miles on it, or if you have a habit of riding the clutch, you may notice one or more of the following signs that indicate your clutch is going out.
Engine Revs But Doesn’t Generate Power
If the clutch is slipping, you will hear your engine rev but there won’t be much power to show for it. This happens if the clutch can no longer produce the friction it needs to turn the flywheel. There may be a fluid leak that is squelching the friction, or you may have a worn or damaged clutch link or pressure plate.
Noises When in Neutral
Neutral is one of the quietest gears in your vehicle. If your automobile is noisy when it’s in neutral and pressing down on the clutch pedal silences that noise, your clutch likely has a bad input shaft bearing. Replacing this part will resolve the issue and your vehicle will be quiet in neutral again.
Noisy Clutch Pedal
Your automobile’s clutch has a series of bearings that help it operate. Two of these are the throwout and pilot bearings. As these parts get old and worn down, you might hear squealing or squeaking when you engage and disengage the clutch. The problem could also lie in the release bearing.
Grinding Sounds
As the saying goes, “If you can’t find it grind it.” When you first learned to drive a manual transmission, you ground the gears until you got the hang of how the clutch feels. After you’ve mastered driving your manual transmission, you should never hear grinding noises. If you do, there is likely a problem with the pressure plate, release mechanism, or throwout bearing.
Car Won’t Go Into Gear
Finally, if you cannot get your vehicle to go into gear, it could be the clutch. In many cases, this problem occurs when an automobile owner installs an aftermarket clutch rather than a factory-approved clutch. You’ll notice that the clutch does not feel as if it’s catching. If you have the original clutch installed on your car, it might be an issue in the air lines if you drive with a hydraulic clutch.
If you don’t have a hydraulic clutch, chances are the clutch disc or pressure plate need to be replaced.
Call J&S Auto Repair in Warwick, RI. We can service or replace your vehicle’s clutch.
